ND-Fairfield upends Prep

Updated 12:42 am, Sunday, February 8, 2015

BRIDGEPORT -- Notre Dame of Fairfield had no problem getting up for this one.

The Lancers took on rival Fairfield Prep Saturday at Wonderland of Ice and defeated the Jesuits 4-1.

"We tried as much as we could to treat it as another game but it's hard when they have the FP on the jersey," Lancers forward Conor McCutcheon said of the defending back-to-back Division I champion Jesuits. "No one on this team has ever beat them before so we got a little more hyped."

That energy was evident all game as the Lancers (7-7) put on a physical clinic throughout, finishing every check and making almost every trip into the offensive zone unpleasant for Prep (7-7).

"That's what we've been teaching them," Notre Dame coach Steve Hetherman said of his team's hard-hitting style. "Aggressive, aggressive, aggressive and we're having success with that formula now; over the last several games it seems like everyone's buying into it -- and you can see the results."

The turning point in the game came five minutes into the second. After a scoreless first period Fairfield Prep committed two consecutive penalties, giving the Lancers a four-minute power play. Notre Dame was able to convert at the end of the second advantage when McCutcheon corralled his own rebound and put it home for the first score of the game.

In the next five minutes Notre Dame tallied twice more, once on Tyler Henchcliffe's rebound on another power play, and then again from McCutcheon off a pretty cross from Jonathon Suporn.

"The stats speak for themselves," Prep coach Matt Sather said of the penalties his team took. "They scored three power play goals and they won by three."

At the end of the second Prep was able to get its own power play score when Will Schlichtig took a cross from Justin Blanchette and buried it in the back of the net. That, however, was the only offense the Jesuits were able to muster and in appropriate fashion they allowed one more power-play goal to Notre Dame's Nick Carloto with just a minute left in the contest.

Despite falling to .500 after winning three out of the previous four state titles Sather isn't concerned with his team's mentality as the postseason nears.

"I don't think their heads are down," the coach said. "They're kids who love to play the game and we get to play again on Monday (vs. Don Bosco of New Jersey at 6 at Wonderland of Ice). I think they recognize that tough days are a part of the game, and we'll grow from it."

For Notre Dame and Hetherman, he couldn't be prouder of the work the Lancers have put in, and that it's showing up on the score sheet.

"It's a wonderful feeling," Hetherman said. "The boys have been working hard, putting in their time; it's like studying for an exam, what you put in your time, then you get the A, and that's what makes me so proud of the guys now."